Bittersweet
by Niflheim07
Summary: Hermione and Draco have always had kind of a conflicting relationship, but Hermione had never reacted that way and Draco was surprised at this. What's going on in his mind?  Dramione, one-shot, written for the 28 Sweets for my Sweet Heart challenge.


**A/N:** This is my first attempt ever at writing a Dramione fic. I wouldn't have even considered the possibility before, but here I am. It's a one-shot, and it's for the **28 Sweets for my Sweetheart **challenge. Hope you like it and please, please, please review =D, and as always, if you find some mistakes about grammar or spelling or anything like that, please tell me, it'll help me continue learning ^^

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"It seems like our dirty know-it-all went shopping, huh? Quills, ink? Do they actually still believe you're a witch?" Draco mocked, holding Hermione's bag and emptying it on the floor. The second floor's corridor was deserted except by the two of them, an out of position tapestry and a squeaking armor, and it was late in night, almost curfew time.

"Seriously, Malfoy, I'm not in the mood…" Hermione had red eyes, her tone was tired and her gaze didn't move from the floor, while he took a small package from the bottom of the bag and unopened it quickly with a mischievous smile.

"Wow, these are these new saving-ink quills, right? Hmmm…" Hermione looked apprehensively straight into Draco's eyes and started walking towards him cautiously.

"No, don't you dare…"

"What? Are these some gift from that poor idiot or what?" The hurt in Hermione's expression proved Draco he had gotten it right. He had already heard something about Ron and Lavender going out together, but he truly believed Hermione wasn't just interested in the redhead boy. He realized that's probably why Hermione had been crying, most likely in the library, where she wouldn't meet the two little lovebirds. He couldn't believe it, how could that prank of Weasley be able to do that to her?

"Malfoy, give it back". Hermione was almost pleading, and Draco noticed she didn't mean to insult him or attack him at all. The wrath within him grew, since he didn't get why Hermione still wanted to do something with the redhead after getting her heart broken that way. Without realizing it, he clutched the package in his hand, breaking the quills in two. Draco hadn't noticed what happened until Hermione suddenly got close to him, a few inches away from his face; her eyes were wet, and before he could do anything, she whispered to him.

"You know what? I really hate you". Hermione took her bag from Draco's right hand and went half walking, half running through the corridor, away from him. Draco still held the broken quills package in his left hand, but he hadn't moved at all. In all of these years, they always had insulted each other, they even had fought, but he had never seen her talking to him with such anger and pain, never with that hate. He threw the package to the armor and started walking to the dungeons, snorting. Just when the moron, dim of Ron Weasley made a mistake, and he had the slightest chance in the world, he also went and screwed it all up! Or maybe, he was just no better than Weasley. He had to find a way to make it up, whatever.

"Malfoy, where you been?" asked Goyle with a bread roll.

"None of your business," retorted Malfoy, who wasn't willing to listen to his friend's nonsense.

"D'ya know Slughorn is makin a Christmas party on the 20th? Heard Potter wus invited, tha' fooly Slug Club or s'mething like tha'…", Goyle said, spitting pieces of food between his teeth. Draco continued walking, leaving Goyle alone and started thinking. If it was indeed a Slug Club party, Hermione would go for sure. A smile came up on his face, making a plan.

The night of the party arrived, and Draco had managed to get what he needed for his plan to work. He didn't really have any spare time, trying to fix up that bloody evanescent wardrobe, but somehow what Hermione said was still bothering him, the resentment, the bitternes in her voice that still echoed in his head, _I really hate you_, it wasn't possible. He picked up a small package he had left next to the wardrobe while he was trying to fix it and left the Requirement Room to go to Slughorn's office. Noise could be heard from the next corridor, and only then Draco started wondering how he would get into the party without being noticed since he wasn't invited. He stopped for a second, doubting whether he should continue or not, if his pride would be lost, but those brown eyes appeared in the back of his eyes, like engraved in his mind with pain. Draco sighed and slowly opened the door, hoping that no one would see him. He slipped in behind a vampyr, got to the drinks table and started looking for Hermione. He thought he'd seen a brown sparkle next to a corner of the room, so he walked briskly before anyone could see him. Soon Draco found her, wearing a red satin dress, but he stopped, frozen. Under the mistletoe, Cormac McLaggen was getting closer and closer to Hermione, who was happy with the situation, Draco guessed since he couldn't see her face. Draco cursed under his breath for being so naïve to have even considered the possibility, turned around and walked over to the door, and just when he took a few steps on the corridor, Filch caught him.

"So what is young Malfoy doing here? Why aren't you inside at the party, like all the little brats?

"That´s not your problem, Squib," Malfoy answered haughtily, but before he could get away, Filch took him by the arm and made him enter the party. Everyone fell in silence, staring at them, until Filch said that he had found Draco prowling around the place. Draco looked up and found Hermione looking at him with concern and curiosity. Draco looked down and saw her hand grasped by Cormac's, so he closed his eyes, took a breath and got loose from Filch.

"Yes yes, I shouldn't be here, I wasn't invited, so what? I'm going now!" Draco dropped the package in his hand without noticing it and walked to the corridor one more time, Snape following him. Soon everyone started talking again, continuing with the party, but Hermione finally got away from Cormac for a second and picked up Draco's package. It was light, a small box, and it was wrapped up like a Christmas gift. Puzzled, Hermione got out to the corridor and walked to where she supposed Draco was. Suddenly she hid behind the next corridor's wall when Snape walked by with Draco, apparently arguing over something. Hermione was waiting, and then she noticed that the gift had a card attached. Being careful to not leave her hideaway, Hermione put the package closer to the moonlight to read the card.

"_I know these aren't like the other ones, but I thought some sugar quills could soothe a bit the bitter moment from some days before. I'm sorry, Hermione. Draco."_

Hermione had to read the piece of paper a lot of times, trying to fully understand it. It must be a joke, it was impossible for Draco to ask her for forgiveness, and he even had written her name, when he had never, ever in his life, used it with her, he always called her Mudblood or know-it-all. Logic said she shouldn't open the gift, it could be something bad, but her instinct and curiosity won, so she carefully took away the wrapping. There it was, a luxurious box of sugar quills from Honeydukes, and again, written over a corner, I'm sorry.

Hermione felt herself trembling and soon she realized she was excited. About what, why? What did all of this mean? While she was thinking about what was going on, Snape walked again by her side in the opposite direction to where he had taken Draco before, so when she thought he was already gone, Hermione went out to look for Draco. She found him over a windowsill, looking to the Forbidden Forest.

"Draco…"

Draco turned around quickly, alarmed of hearing that voice calling upon his name. He saw the box in Hermione's hands and felt fear arousing within him. It was exactly the last thing he need in the night. From all the people in the castle, Hermione was the one who had found the package, and now she had found him.

"Give that back to me," Draco muttered, getting closer to Hermione. She took a step ahead, looking with surprise at him.

"Didn't you want to give it to me a moment ago?" Hermione asked, trying to look him in the eyes, but he avoided her gaze. Not knowing what to do or say, Draco tried to take the box from her hands, struggling with her. Soon their hands were one over the other, and Draco stopped, shocked at the softness and warm of her hands. Taking advantage of the sudden stillness, and the closeness in which they were in, Hermione got closer to Draco's ear and whispered.

"Thanks, Draco, I never expected you to do something like this, not even you using my name." Hermione made a little pause, and then continued.

"You know? I don't actually hate you…" Hermione doubted for a second, and then kissed Draco on his cheek, squeezed his hand gently and walked away to the party, with the box in her hand. Draco stared at her walking away, frowned, put a hand on his tired eyes and started walking back to his bedroom. Maybe he could start calling her Hermione more often. Draco smiled softly. Just maybe.


End file.
